The present invention relates to extendable and retractable tarping systems, particularly for vehicles. More specifically, the invention relates to roll tarping systems in which an extendable tarp is wound onto a roller mounted at the front of the vehicle.
Hauling vehicles frequently use tarping systems to help cover the load within the container body of the vehicle. A dump truck, such as the truck 10 shown in FIG. 1, includes a dump body 11 configured for carrying a wide range of material. For instance, the dump body can be filled with gravel, dirt and agricultural products, such as grain. In one type of truck, the dump body extends over the vehicle cab by way of a cab shield 12.
In order to protect the contents within the dump body, and to prevent the contents from blowing out of the body 11 while the vehicle is traveling down the road, a tarping system 14 can be mounted to the cab shield 12 or to the front end of the container body 11. In a typical installation, the roll tarp system 14 can include a spindle or roller 15 onto which a tarp 13 is rolled when it is moved to its retracted position. An extension arm 16 can be provided that pulls the tarp across the dump body 11 and that controls the retraction of the tarp 13 back into roll tarp assembly 14. One typical tarping system of this type is the Easy Cover(copyright) of Aero Industries, Inc. With this type of system, torsion springs operate on the bail arms 16 to pull the tarp 13 across the length of the container body 11. The roll tarp assembly 14 can include a hand crank or a motor that resists the extension force applied by the extension arms 16 and that can be used to wind the tarp 13 onto the roller 15 when it is desired to retract the tarp cover.
Most hauling vehicles, such as the dump truck 10 shown in FIG. 1, are usually intended for over-the-road use, so they are subject to wind forces, particularly when traveling at highway speeds. The tarp 13, when extended, protects the contents of the dump bed from being dislodged by the wind passing over the body 11. In earlier tarping systems, it was found that the tarping system exerted a measurable amount of drag due to its prominence mounted on the cab shield 12. Of course, this additional drag reduced fuel economy for the vehicle. In addition, the wind passing over the tarp 13 would cause the tarp to flap and eventually cause the edges of the tarp to fray or to cause tears in the tarp.
In order to address this problem, most tarping systems, as represented by the Easy Cover(copyright) tarping system, include a wind shield or air deflector 18 mounted in front of the tarping system 14. The typical wind deflector exhibits a gradual curve and completely enshrouds the tarping mechanism mounted to the front of the truck bed. In some cases, the air deflector simply constitutes a plate bolted to the front of the cab shield. In more sophisticated systems, the air deflector can be integrated into an overall housing for supporting and containing the tarping assembly. In this case, the length of the wind deflector depends upon the width of the portion of the vehicle body to which the deflector is mounted. For instance, if the tarping system 14 is mounted to the cab shield 12, the wind deflector 18 has a length calibrated to the width of the cab shield, and likewise if the tarping system is mounted directly to the container body 11.
However, one difficulty is that not all cab shields or container bodies have the same dimensions or the same width. Moreover, different types of vehicles may require different types of tarping systems. Thus, the required length of the wind deflector 18 may vary greatly among vehicle applications. This variation has required stocking a wide arrange of wind deflector sizes to accommodate the trucks of potential customers. For instance, in typical dump truck applications, the wind deflector may need to be provided in lengths of 92 inches, 96 inches or 102 inches.
Alternatively, two-piece wind deflectors have been devised. Wind deflectors of this type, as depicted in FIG. 5, include at least two panels that have a length less than the entire width of a typical cab shield 12 or vehicle body 11. However, the length of each of the two pieces is at least greater than half the width of the largest width truck body contemplated for use with the wind deflector. Thus, the two panels can variable overlap each other to accomplish an overall combined length equal to the width of the cab shield or truck body. The two halves can then fastened together by sheet metal screws and the resulting wind deflector mounted in an appropriate manner to the vehicle. One problem with this approach is that the wind deflector must be provided in multiple pieces which complicates the installation of the deflector. Another problem is that the connection between the two wind deflector pieces can wear out over time due to vibration and exposure to the elements. One advantage, of course, of this two-piece wind deflector is that it can accommodate any size cab shield or container body.
While the two-piece wind deflector system presents some advantages over the one-piece wind deflector, there is still room for improvement. What is needed is a system that retains the integrity of a one-piece wind deflector and combines that integrity with the versatility and variability of the two-piece wind deflector system.
In order to address this need, the present invention contemplates a wind deflector assembly for a roll tarping system mounted on a vehicle comprising a pair of side mounting plates, each associated with a corresponding opposite end of the roll tarping system. Each of the mounting plates includes a front edge and at least one support member disposed adjacent the front edge. In the preferred embodiment, the support member is a flange projecting from a notch formed in the front edge of each side mounting plate.
The wind deflector assembly further includes an elongated deflector plate that has at least one elongated or variable location mounting element defined on an inner surface thereof. Each mounting element is arranged to be aligned with a corresponding support member when the deflector plate is mounted to the side mounting plates. At least two fasteners are provided for connecting the variable location mounting member to the support member of each side mounting plate.
In accordance with one feature of the invention, the mounting elements allow engagement with the fasteners at continuously variable positions along the length of the mounting element. In a specific embodiment, the mounting elements include a T-slot opening into an enlarged channel. The fasteners can include a bolt having an enlarged head sized to slide within the channel but not pass through the T-slot. A threaded nut can be used to engage the bolt when the bolt passes through the T-slot and the opening a corresponding flange of the side mounting plates.
In a further aspect of the invention, the elongated deflector plate is provided in an initial length that is greater than a width dimension of the vehicle or the roll tarp system. The deflector plate can be cut to length to span exactly between the side mounting plates. The continuously variable mounting elements allow the deflector plate to be engaged to the side mounting plates regardless of the width between the plates.
Preferably, the front edge of each of the pair of mounting plates is curved and the inner surface of the deflector plate is complementary curved for a substantially flush engagement with the front edge of the side plates. In addition, the support members are arranged so that the bottom edge of the deflector plate will sit immediately adjacent the front edge of the vehicle container body or cab protector to which the roll tarping system is mounted. Each side plate includes features to permit mounting the plates to the side of the vehicle.
The present invention further contemplates a method for mounting a wind deflector to a vehicle having a roll tarping system. In a first step, a pair of mounting plates are mounted to the vehicle at opposite ends of the roll tarping system. An elongated deflector plate can be provided that has an initial length greater than the width necessary for covering the roll tarping system. For instance, the deflector plate can be provided in a length of 110 inches, although most hauling trucks have a width at the tarping system of 92, 96 or 102 inches.
In a further step, the required length of the deflector plate is determined, preferably by measuring the distance between the side mounting plates when they are mounted to the vehicle. The deflector plate is then cut to a length that substantially matches the measured distance.
The deflector plate is provided with at least one continuously variable mounting element defined at an inner surface of the plate. The deflector plate can be engaged to each mounting plate at variable locations along each continuously variable mounting element. In this way, the engagement between the side mounting plates and the deflector plate is not disrupted when the deflector plate is cut to the appropriate size.
In an alternative embodiment, a wind deflector assembly is provided in the form of a substantially enclosed box. In particular, the assembly includes a pair of side mounting plates and a front deflector plate, similar to those of the first embodiment. The side mounting plates are modified to include additional flange attachment elements on the top, bottom and rear edges of the plates. The wind deflector assembly then includes a top plate, bottom plate and rear plate that include mounting elements as described above to mate with correspondingly located flange attachment elements on the side mounting plates. The rear plate spans only a portion of the rear of the assembly to provide a path for the flexible cover carried by the roller assembly housed inside the wind deflector assembly.
In one feature of this embodiment, the rear plate can include a portion traversing the bottom of the side mounting plates. This portion defines a gap between it and the bottom plate, with the gap residing adjacent the cab shield. A spanning plate can be provided that spans this gap and interconnects the bottom and rear plates. In addition, the spanning plate can provide a means for mounting the entire assembly to the cab shield.
In another feature of this embodiment, the top plate and front deflector plate can be interconnected by way of a spanning bracket. The spanning bracket, like the spanning plate, includes end portions configured to mate with a mounting element on the respective plate. A fastener can be used to engage the spanning bracket to the mounting element, thereby interconnecting the two plates.
It is one object to provide a wind deflector system for use with a roll taping system mounted on a hauling vehicle. A further object is to provide such a system that can be easily and quickly installed.
One benefit of the invention is that the deflector plate can be provided in one length that is cut to fit for any vehicle application. Another benefit accomplished by the inventive wind deflector system is the presentation of an aerodynamic and clean appearance.
Other objects and benefits of the present invention can be discerned from the following written description taken together with the accompanying figures.